DR EDWARD DE BONO ( CoRT)

CoRT stands for Cognitive Research Trust. The programme was designed for schools and is now widely in use throughout the world: Australia, Canada New Zealand, Japan, Malaysia, Malta, Singapore, South Africa, Italy, UK, Ireland, U.S.A. Venezuela, Philippines, Russia etc.
Research has been done by Michele de Bene at the University of Verona, Professor John Edwards at James Cook University, Australia and research is ongoing by Sandra Dingli at the University of Malta in collaboration with a team of teacher-researchers from the Department of Education in Malta. There is a specific conference room on my web site for teachers to discuss their experiences (www.edwdebono.com).
The majority of mistakes in ordinary thinking (outside technical matters) are mistakes in perception. Our traditional emphasis on logic does little for perception. If the perception is inadequate no amount of excellence in logic will make up for that deficiency.
Perception is a matter of directing attention. If you are not looking in the right direction it does not matter how clever you are, you will not see what you need to see.
The terms 'right' and 'left' are spatial directions. North, south, east, west are also spatial directions. You can ask someone to 'look left' or to 'look south.' That instruction indicates a 'direction.' You look in that direction and see what you see.
The CoRT programme is divided into six parts of ten lessons each. The first part deals with 'broadening' perception. The fourth part introduces specific creative-processes.
In the first part the 'attention-directing tools' include: PMI, for a systematic scan of the Plus points, the Minus points and the Interesting points; OPV, for attention to Other People's views; C&S for a deliberate focus on the consequences and sequel of a choice or action. The acronyms are necessary in order for the 'instruction' to exist in the mind as an 'operating concept'. Mere attitudes have no identity. These very simple tools are very powerful in their effect and can totally change initial judgements and perceptions.
The programme has been in use since 1972 with different cultures, ages and abilities. It has been used in Gifted Education programmes and also with Down's Syndrome Children (by Susan Mackie). I myself have taught some of the tools to 5,300 children from all sorts of schools, one morning in a sports stadium in Johannesburg and to 2,400 school children one morning in Malta.
David Perkins, professor of Education at Harvard University has this to say about the CoRT programme in his book Outsmarting the IQ (NY, Free Press, 1995):
'In designing for the practical teaching of thinking Edward de Bono repeatedly emphasizes the importance of robust material that can be put into place easily. This is certainly one of the features of the CoRT programme.'
'CoRT fairly transparently addresses the thinking defaults identified in the previous chapter: hasty, fuzzy and sprawling thinking.'
'The four intelligence traps are vast; they make room for all kinds of mishaps and a diversity of sorts of thinking. Nonetheless, CoRT plainly touches on all four.'
'Intelligence can be taught by CoRT.'
These comments are particularly relevant since it was Professor Perkin's work which showed the huge importance of perception in thinking.